The present invention relates to a harness assembly for disposable respirators and more particularly to a respirator harness assembly having an open light-weight elastic loop with a single point connector means which enables the respirator to be easily and quickly applied, and provides for temporary off the face "storage" of the respirator during periods of non-use. The harness assembly is essentially self-adjusting to provide adequate tension and an even distribution of pressure over the entire area of the respirator in contact with the face during use.
Harness assemblies for replacable cartridge or replaceable filter respirators approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under Subpart K of Part II, 30 Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, Vol. 37, No. 59, Mar. 25, 1972, must be designed and constructed to hold the components of the respirator in position against the wearer's body and must be adjustable and replaceable. These respirator harness assemblies have tended to be rather heavy and cumbersome devices consisting of a plurality of heavy duty elastic or rubber straps, buckles, slides and fastening devices. A number of such harness assemblies have been provided with snap-on fasteners consisting of a D-ring and a flat folded clip or similar device for connecting the two ends of the headband together.
Disposable respirators approved by NIOSH and MSHA, and designed for respiratory protection in hazardous particulate atmospheres, such as dust/mist and dust/mist/fume respirators, have traditionally been required to have a harness consisting of a pair of elastic straps secured at spaced points on opposite side edges of the respirator, the so-called four point support requirement. The respirator is secured in place by passing the straps over the user's head and then arranging the straps so that one strap is below the ears and the other strap is above the ears. The elastic straps may then be adjusted to obtain a fit against the user's face by evenly distributing pressure over the entire area of the respirator in contact with the face. Although disposable respirators provided with harnesses of the type described above generally performed satisfactorily in use, a persistent problem has been that many workers consistently do not use their respirators in the workplace. Inquiry as to the reasons for such non-use has revealed that a primary reason was the inconvenience and aggravation experienced in passing the straps over the user's head each time the respirator was applied or removed--this was especially pronounced when the user was encumbered with auxilliary safety or similar equipment such as hard hats, welder's helmets, goggles, spectacles, miner's lamps, hats or caps, hairnets and hearing protection. Additionally, many workers such as coal miners and welders have numerous occasions when they are not exposed to a hazardous atmosphere and a respirator is not required. During such periods of non-use, these workers would prefer to remove their respirators. However, since they are encumbered with auxilliary safety equipment, removal of their respirators is, at best, an inconvenient and aggravating process. Consequently, many such workers choose not to use a respirator at all.
Obviously, no respiratory protection is afforded a worker by even the best and most efficient respirator if the worker does not use it. It is to the elimination of the above noted reasons for not using a respirator that the present invention is directed.